England and France have delivered a masterclass in Women's Six Nations rugby, setting up the Grand Slam decider fans have been waiting for with dominant road victories on Saturday.

The Red Roses stormed past Italy 61-33 in Parma, while France overpowered Scotland 69-28 in Edinburgh. Meanwhile, Ireland secured a distant third place with a solid 33-12 win over Wales in Belfast.

This showdown has been brewing for years. England and France have finished first and second in the Six Nations every season since 2020, and they've met in a final-round clash every year since 2021. Next weekend, a record crowd for a France home game in the Women's Six Nations is expected at the 42,000-seat Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux. But France faces a daunting challenge—they haven't beaten England in eight years.

England wasted no time asserting their dominance. They had the bonus-point fourth try and victory secured within just 14 minutes. That's when Zoe Harrison missed her first goalkick in 19 attempts this championship—a rare slip that didn't matter much, as she converted eight of the nine tries, including all five from the touchlines.

At 26-0, a sleepy Italy finally woke up. They scored their first points against England at home since 2018 and posted their highest-ever score against the Red Roses, surpassing the 24 points from a decade ago. A remarkable five tries included two from replacement flanker Francesca Sgorbini.

But the game's undeniable star was its oldest player, 36-year-old Marlie Packer, who scored four tries. Her fourth was pure magic: she smashed through five defenders in the 60th minute. Packer now leads the tournament with seven tries and has 59 in her career, just two shy of the England record held by Sue Day.

Packer's journey has been anything but smooth. She debuted for England in 2008, a year after Day's last test, but lost the captaincy last year due to a drop in the back row pecking order. She played only once at the Rugby World Cup and wasn't even selected for the Six Nations opener against Ireland at Twickenham. But injuries to Alex Matthews, Sadia Kabeya, and Maddie Feaunati have given her more minutes than expected—and she hasn't wasted a single one.

Packer is the only player with two player-of-the-match awards this tournament. On Saturday alone, she had 14 carries and 13 tackles alongside those four tries. She was scrappy, relentless, and full of heart.

"I've got a smile back on my face. I am getting some good minutes," Packer told the BBC. "For the last couple of years Sadia Kabeya has got the nod over me, fair play. I've got my opportunity at the moment and I'm enjoying it. That's what I want."

With the Grand Slam on the line, next weekend's clash in Bordeaux promises to be one for the ages. Whether you're cheering for the Red Roses or Les Bleues, make sure you're geared up for the biggest match of the season.